The pattern has become a running joke. Trump threatens China, announces new tariffs, but as the stock market drops, he comes up with some excuse for delay.

There is no reason for the Chinese to ever make a deal with Trump. Donald Trump waffles and caves so often that they can afford to wait him out. If Trump were capable of negotiating his way out of a paper bag, he would not be extending “gestures of good will” to the Chinese.

The deadline was getting close. The markets were worried. Trump needed an excuse to get out of the corner that he had painted himself into, so he used a Chinese national holiday to back away from his threat.

It is sad and weak, and the reason why Trump is a total failure as president. The Chinese know that Donald Trump is desperate to get out of his trade war, and they can afford to wait.

Mr. Easley is the founder/managing editor and Senior White House and Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason spent four years as a political columnist and the politics editor at 411mania.com, where he covered such issues as the Iraq War, warrantless wiretapping, and the daily workings of the American legislative process. Jason has also written for the Blogger News Network and saw his 2008 presidential election coverage quoted in over 300 newspapers worldwide. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association